Swedish PM to discuss NATO with President, PM in Helsinki

Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson will visit Finland on Friday and will hold separate meetings with his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin and President Sauli Niinistö, said an official press release on Wednesday.

Kristersson will discuss the future NATO memberships of Finland and Sweden with the Finnish leaders during his visit.

They will also discuss bilateral relations between Finland and Sweden, Russia’s war of aggression, support for Ukraine and topical EU matters.

Meanwhile, Kristersson on Wednesday held a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and assured to fulfil the trilateral memorandum signed between Finland, Sweden and Turkey.

Earlier in June, the Foreign Ministers of Finland, Sweden and Turkey signed the trilateral memorandum which confirms that Turkey will support the Finland´s and Sweden´s NATO membership applications.

“Constructive phone call with President @RTErdogan. Looking forward to visit Ankara soon. My gov will fulfil the trilateral memorandum between Turkey, Finland, Sweden for #NATO accession,” Kristersson wrote in a twitter post late Wednesday night.

This is the first visit of Kristersson visit abroad as Prime Minister.

According to tradition, Finnish and Swedish prime ministers meet shortly after taking office.

Prime Minister Marin’s first visit abroad was also to Sweden.

News agency Xinhua adds: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would be pleased to host new Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Turkey during a phone talk between the two leaders on Wednesday, after months of tension with the Nordic country over its NATO bid.

Erdogan told Kristersson that it is in the "common interest to prevent terrorist organizations from taking Sweden's NATO membership and its bilateral relations with Turkey hostage," the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

Ankara was ready to enhance bilateral relations with the Swedish government in every field, the Turkish president said.

Erdogan also conveyed his congratulations to Kristersson for being elected as the new prime minister of Sweden, according to the statement.